Woodberry Forest (2-2) at Collegiate (1-2) 4 p.m. Thursday
The Basics: The Tigers are as beat up injury wise as they can get, but last week they looked like the team that went 8-1 the last three seasons and not the team that was coming into their game against Paul VI on a 2-game skid. Heys McMath was efficient and effective at quarterback and running backs Christian Asher and Hunter Faulconer had little trouble running the ball. The offense was the missing piece to start the year. Woodberry’s defense and special teams are as good as it gets so the hosting Cougars will need to be sharp to avoid taking one on the chin.
Key matchup: Woodberry’s pass rush against the Collegiate offensive line. The Tigers will have to play a lot of nickel and dime defense against the Cougars’ four and five wideout sets, but you don’t have to be perfect in the secondary when the quarterback can’t throw. Rogers Clark, Cameron Wooster, Nate Ripper and more will make life tough on the Cougars offensive front from keeping their quarterback off the turf.
Who to watch: Tigers linebacker/receiver Doug Randolph. It’s his old team. Look for the Stanford commit to remind his former teammates of just how versatile a weapon he is. Whether on the edge or in the middle of the field on defense, running routes or attempting to block punts, Randolph can do it all.
Line: Woodberry by 9. The Tigers have regrouped and despite going from a run heavy team like Paul VI to a pass happy team like Collegiate on a short week of practice, Woodberry has always given the Cougars a hard time.
Update: Woodberry more than covers, wins 42-0, click here for the story.
Covenant (1-5) at Norfolk Academy (1-3), Thursday 4 p.m.
The basics: Covenant is making strides. The Eagles beat Massanutten Military two weeks ago and nearly found a way to knock off Blue Ridge last week. But a long trip to face off against Division I Norfolk Academy is a difficult task. The Bulldogs are riding high after thrashing Hampton Roads Academy 35-8.
Key matchup: Covenant’s defense takes on Norfolk Academy’s Hunter Wagnon. Wagnon’s 129 yards and three touchdowns helped the Bulldogs snap a 13-game losing streak against Hampton Roads. Slowing down Wagnon will be a necessity.
Who to watch: Covenant junior John Meade. Meade put together a breakout game for the Eagles in a loss to Blue Ridge last week. Meade had four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Not a bad day’s work. Can he put together a repeat performance against Norfolk Academy?
The line: Norfolk Academy by 7. The Bulldogs have played some tough opponents and may prove too much for the Eagles to handle.
Update: Covenants falls on the road 27-14.
St. Christopher’s (3-1) at Fork Union (2-3) 2 p.m. Friday
The Basics: FUMA coach Micky Sullivan isn’t the moral victory type, but if you’re a Blue Devils player, you can’t help but feel that nearly beating Maryland giant Loyola Blakefield means this team is continually getting better each week and developing more chemistry. One thing is for certain, quarterback Christian Hackenberg and receiver D.J. Randle El are torching secondaries. This is a FUMA team that can score a lot points in a hurry. If this squad finds its defensive form from last year, VISAA Division 1 schools had better watch out. St. Chris comes into the match having fallen for the first time this year in an epic quadruple overtime showdown with Benedictine.
Key matchup: Fork Union’s secondary takes on quarterback Giles Thompson. The St. Christopher’s quarterback had helped the Saints score 30 or more points in all but one week, a 3-0 win over STAB. The Blue Devils have the athletes to lock down on St. Christopher’s receivers. If they can get the job done there, this will be less of a shoot-out like last week and more of a FUMA romp like two weeks ago.
Who to watch: Blue Devils offensive and defensive lineman John Tu’uta. The big senior takes of a lot of space and is a physical force where ever he lines up. Look for him to wear down the Saints at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Line: Fork Union by 7. Hackenberg and his receivers continue to pile on the points, the Blue Devils defense gets the job done here.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (2-3) at Boys Latin (Baltimore) (0-5), 3 p.m.
The basics: STAB stumbled against Flint Hill, but it’s hard to ignore that the Saints have held opponents scoreless in six of eight quarters in their last two losses. The defense is playing big-time football, with Shane Palmateer, Justin Hicks and Antoine Currie piling up tackles. Palmateer has rung up 7.5 tackles for a loss on the year while Hicks has 3.5. Currie has been fantastic since returning from an early season injury. If STAB’s defense can slow down Boys Latin, the Saints could return from Maryland with a win.
Key matchup: Boys Latin’s linebackers take on the STAB running game. The Saints’ block well with a technician-heavy offensive line and Palmateer at fullback, and Branford Rogers can take off when he gets in open space. The run game struggled to get going last week, but has a chance to bounce back this week.
Who to watch: Boys Latin’s Greg Pyke. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound lineman is an athletic marvel. He’s rated as one of the top 10 lacrosse prospects in the nation, but he’s committed to Georgia for football. Pyke can really move for a player his size, and he could give STAB fits on both sides of the ball.
The line: STAB by 3. The Saints beat Latin at home last year and appear to be gearing up for a strong run in October and November. This could be the jumping off point.
Blue Ridge (2-2) at St. Stephen’s St. Agnes (1-3) 4 p.m.
The Basics: With all due respect to Covenant, this a dramatic change of pace for the Barons. They go from being the top dogs last week as a VISAA Division 2 school taking on a small and rebuilding Divisions 3 Eagles squad at home to hitting the road against a big Division 1 school. The Barons gritted their teeth last week to win a penalty-ridden defensive battle. The Saints have struggled to start the year, but have also played a trio of big time schools in Potomac, Bishop Ireton and St. Christopher’s.
Key matchup: Blue Ridge’s interior defense versus SSSA running back Darius Manora. The Saints are far from a pass-first team. They like to keep it on the ground and Manora has carried the ball at least 23 times the last three games and is averaging more than five yards per carry on the year. The front seven on defense has to step up, and so too will the safeties for Blue Ridge to make sure that Manora doesn’t grind them down.
Who to watch: Barons fullback Rod Williams. Whether he’s lead blocking for running back Mayn Francisco or carrying the ball himself, Williams proved himself to be a versatile player last week against the Eagles and if he can do similar work against the Saints, Blue Ridge will have options offensively.
Line: SSSA by 3. The Saints get the edge here for playing at home, their tough schedule and the numbers advantage, but Blue Ridge is too talented not to put up a fight here.
Nelson County (0-5) at Dan River (5-1) 7 p.m.
The Basics: Nelson had its best offensive output against Appomattox, but couldn’t make up for the 55 points it gave up. Dan River is coming into this contest hot, winners of four in a row including 20-plus point wins over Chatham and William Campbell the last two Fridays.
Key matchup: Nelson’s rushing defense takes on Dan River running back Trey Edmunds, then Edmunds takes on Nelson’s offensive line. This one is pretty simple. The Wildcats senior has rushed over 200 yards three times with his top three performances clocking in at 305 against Chatham, 204 against Campbell and 200 in a loss against Amelia. His season low? 125 yards. The last two weeks he’s averaging more than 14 yards per carry. Flipping sides, Edmunds averages 11 tackles per game as a linebacker and has a pair of interceptions.
Who to watch: It’s Edmunds. Rated a 4-star recruit by Rivals, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder chose Virginia Tech over offers from Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and Virginia. That is an impressive offer resume.
Line: Dan River by 14. The Wildcats have more than just Edmunds. Deqwontez McMoore has 300 yards rushing on 42 carries. That’s 1,456 yards between two rushers in six games. Tough matchup for Nelson here.
Buckingham (4-1) at Randolph-Henry (2-3) 7 p.m.
The basics: Buckingham bounced back against Nottoway Friday after a frustrating opening to James River play against Amelia earlier in the week. The Knights piled up 408 yards against Nottoway as the offensive attack found its stride.
Key matchup: Buckingham’s defense takes on Randolph-Henry’s leading rusher Quincy Thompson. Thompson broke free for 213 yards two weeks ago against Cumberland on just 15 carries. The Knights will have to contain Thompson.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s L.A. Briley. Briley exploded for 110 yards on four catches last week against Nottoway, exceeding his total of 80 yards on the year prior to the game in just four quarters. If Briley and quarterback Tarian Ayers can maintain a rhythm, that’ll make Buckingham much more dangerous.
The line: Buckingham by 17. The Knights got back into gear and should stay there against the Statesmen.
Goochland (5-0) at Nottoway (2-3) 7 p.m.
The basics: Remember last week when we talked about how Goochland loaded up its out-of-district schedule because of a handful of subpar James River District opponents? This is another one. Nottoway is a step up from Bluestone, but Goochland should still easily take care of business.
Key matchup: Nottoway’s rushing offense versus Goochland’s ground attack. This game could be over in no time with the way both these squads grind out the clock with the ground game. Whichever defense can stand up against the run will control the game.
Who to watch: Goochland’s Nathan Adams. There aren’t many players in the area who can make an explosive impact in multiple phases of the game, but Adams is an explosive presence in the passing game and on defense. He hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass and returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown against Bluestone last week.
The line: Goochland by 21. The Bulldogs should keep things rolling.
Charlottesville (1-5) at Monticello (4-1) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: While Charlottesville is clearly showing improvement — it’s been awhile since a Black Knights’ quarterback has thrown for 911 yards six games into the year — but Monticello is a tough draw. Monticello is piling up points offensively, and while the defense has struggled at times, the unit has come up with key stops at certain times like the game-clinching pick six against Western last week. Charlottesville is trying to bounce back from a narrow loss to Fluvanna last week where the Black Knights couldn’t climb out of a 21-0 hole they fell into the first hand.
Key matchup: Charlottesville’s front seven takes on the explosive Monticello ground game. Isaac Robinson and the Mustangs’ big offensive line is powering a reliable rushing attack. Robinson already has 798 yards in just five games and is well on his way to a 1,000-yard season. The Black Knights surrendered 211 yards on the ground to Fluvanna lat week.
Who to watch: Charlottesville’s Wynter Warren. Charlottesville’s freshman running back may find tough sledding against the Mustangs, but he’s proving that the future is bright at CHS each week he’s been in the lineup. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry last week on 11 touches against Fluvanna.
The line: Monticello by 17. The Mustangs get the improving Black Knights at home and Monticello’s red-hot offense should keep things going.
Western (2-3) at Powhatan (3-2) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: This one appears to be a study in contrasts. The Warriors are starting to grow more comfortable each week with relying on the passing game, a hallmark of the program over the past couple of years. Powhatan, on the other hand, leaned on the ground game last week against Prince Edward.
Key matchup: Western’s quartet of wide receivers versus Powhatan’s secondary. In mid-September the Indians couldn’t handle Fork Union’s passing game as Christian Hackenberg threw for five touchdowns and 228 yards. The Warriors’ four big wideouts — Daniel Kuzjak, Austin Ellis, Isaiah Cowan and Nick Drapanas—give Western a similarly potent passing game. Sophomore dual-threat quarterback Kent Henry will likely return to the lineup after getting knocked out of the Monticello game last week too, which could give Powhatan problems.
Who to watch: Powhatan’s Ray Brown. The Warriors struggled to contain Monticello tailback Isaac Robinson last week as Robinson piled up 217 yards in the win. Brown rushed for 126 last week on just nine touches against Prince Edward, including a 46-yard scamper. The Warriors have to at least slow Brown down to have a shot on the road.
The line: Powhatan by 1. The Warriors face a long trip and a Powhatan squad that’s allowed just 12 points in two weeks.
Albemarle (1-4) at Stafford (3-3) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: When it comes to common opponents, this one appears to be a tough matchup for the Patriots. Stafford beat Colonial Forge 24-14 while Albemarle took a 42-0 drubbing from Colonial Forge. But that was before the Mustangs’ bye week. Albemarle came out of its bye with a huge win over Orange and then hung with Massaponax in a 24-0 loss. If Albemarle can keep it going, they can hang with Stafford too.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s punt unit takes on Stafford’s formidable punt bock team. Stafford played a pair of games last week and blocked three punts between them. Two went for touchdowns. The Patriots have to find a way to prevent Stafford from creating the huge momentum swings that come from blocked punts.
Who to watch: Albemarle’s Eli Mackay. Mackay is leading the Patriots with 31 stops on the year including eight tackles for a loss. Mackay and Albemarle will need to put pressure on Billy Bolinsky, Stafford’s quarterback who didn’t throw often last week but had two touchdowns on three completions against Riverbend.
The line: Stafford by 7. Albemarle faces another tough road test in the Commonwealth District.
Massaponax (3-2) at Orange County (1-4) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Orange can’t seem to get on track, which is understandable considering how tough the Hornets’ schedule is. It doesn’t get much either with a Massaponax squad that’s surrendered a lot of points the past two weeks but is usually sound defensively and sound on the ground. Orange has its work cut out for it in another tough draw.
Key matchup: Orange’s defensive line takes on Massaponax’s triple option attack. Joey Foster ripped off a 78-yard touchdown in the third quarter for the Panthers last week. That happens in the triple option — the offense pounds the ball and pounds the ball and then breaks loose with a big run. Orange will need to play responsibility football.
Who to watch: Orange’s Isaiah Ferguson. It’s become a refrain at this point, but Orange County’s entire offensive production seems to come from Ferguson. Last week he rushed for 86 yards and caught another 73. He also scored both touchdowns. If the Hornets want to compete, Ferguson has to have a huge day.
The line: Massaponax by 21. The Hornets need to play a near perfect game to knock off the Panthers.
Clarke County (3-2) at Madison (3-3) 7:30 p.m.
The Basics: These two are meeting in the middle of the year for the first time in a long time as they usually finish up the regular season with one another. Still, if this was the last regular season game for both, neither fan base would have expected there to be five losses between the duo, much less this early into the season. The Eagles are coming off of a bye week while the Mountaineers got back to .500 with a solid win over George Mason, but saw standout receiver/defensive back/return specialist Travis Warren injure his left hand.
Key matchup: Madison’s front four on defense against the run. Clarke may not be the intimidating squad from years past, but they still go about business the same way and it starts with the run. That said, this is an Eagles team that has yet to break the 30-point mark in all five games. If the Mountaineers can muscle down up front, they have the tools on offense to put points on the board against Clarke’s defense, which looked suspect two weeks ago against Strasburg.
Who to watch: Mountaineers lineman Gage Berryman. To win the battle in the trenches against Clarke it takes a group of players willing to do the dirty work. Berryman is certainly that type of player, and if he can lead the way on both sides of the ball at the line of scrimmage, Madison has a real shot at picking up that coveted win over their long time rival.
Line: Clarke by 3. The bye week should really help the Eagles here. Also, without or with a limited Travis Warren, the Mountaineers are at a disadvantage. Still, the Madison ground game is more than capable of keeping them in this game.
William Monroe (4-1) at Central Woodstock (2-3) 7:30 p.m.
The Basics: Okay, it was their first Bull Run District game, but anyone that had the Greene Dragons standing as the clear front runners for the Bull Run District to open October either plays, goes to school or is a parent of a Monroe player. There’s no question that expectations were high for this group coming into the year, but at 4-1 with back-to-back quality wins over East Rockingham and then previously unbeaten Strasburg Mark Sanford’s team has the bullseye on its back. That’s a new role for this team, but this is also a different team from years past. One thing this team will have to get used to is everyone taking their best crack. That’s the life of a front runner. Monroe should enjoy it, but also be weary that Central was won its last two games, including a big win over a physical Manassas Park team last week.
Key matchup: Central’s linebackers take on Monroe running back Doug Sizemore. The Falcons managed against a big back in Manassas Park’s John Byrd last week, but Sizemore has proven to be more that just a physical runner. All year long he’s shown breakaway speed rounding the corner, and his play catching the ball out of the back field last week was a big reason as to why the Dragons leaped out in front of the Rams. Monroe does a great job of misdirection out of its pro-set offense and Sizemore gravitates toward the role of being the brute runner, but when he shows versatility in the passing game, that puts opposing defenses in a tight spot. The Central linebackers will have their hands full trying to play honest against the Monroe senior.
Who to watch: Monroe receiver/defensive back Adam Weisenborn. As Jordan Gentry draws attention on both sides of the ball, teams seem to forget about Weisenborn. He has big play ability where ever he lines up. In the fourth quarter he’s come up with big receptions and even bigger interceptions in his last two games. His pick against East Rock was clutch. His huge catch last week put Strasburg down for the count. The kid has timing.
Line: Monroe by 4. Central is deceptively better than its record, so the Dragons need to be careful here. But if they play like they did in the first half against Strasburg, they shouldn’t have a problem.
Louisa County (4-1) at Fluvanna County (2-4) 7:30 p.m.
The Basics: The Lions certainly got a test last week against South Lakes, but survived. The Flucos also passed a close test against Charlottesville. The rivals meet up here with the Lions sticking to their game as masters of running the ball and playing solid defense while Fluvanna saw an expanded wrinkle on offense with YaYa Anderson taking snaps at quarterback yield great success.
Key matchup: The Fluvanna front nine against Louisa running back Andre Mealy and Lions quarterback Zack Jackson. Unless you have the offense to get into a blow-for-blow like game like Monticello did two weeks ago, you pretty much have to roll the dice here and hope man coverage is enough and nine players in the box can bring down the force that is Mealy or the shifty Jackson. Tough task here, because so far, nobody’s been able to shut down this Louisa offense.
Who to watch: Fluvanna County’s YaYa Anderson. What is his definite role with the team? He can pretty much play any position on the field. He’s got everything you would want from a receiver, but if the ball can’t find him, it’s a waste. As a quarterback, he’s as athletic as they come. He’s the real x-factor for Fluvanna.
Line: Louisa by 10. The Lions handle their rivals with their physicality upfront and watch Mealy and Jackson put up big numbers.
